NHL Barometer: Risers & Fallers

This week's article includes a speedy Vegas forward, a hot young winger in Music City, a pair of backup goalies rolling, Colorado's top center down and Detroit's No. 1 goalie in a slump.

First Liners (Risers)

Erik Haula, C, vgk – Las Vegas' success this season is due to the collective whole being greater than the sum of the individual parts. Haula is an example of that. Coming over from Minnesota, Haula had a career high of 34 points set two years ago when he filled a third-line role. In Vegas, he has moved seamlessly onto the second line. A seventh-rounder in 2009, Haula posted a goal and added a helper Friday, raising his career-high mark to 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in just 47 games.

Logan Couture, C, SJ – Couture was shut out Sunday but he still has lit the lamp in four of his last six games. This recent hot streak has bumped the center's production to 22 goals along with 17 assists in 48 games. Injuries have cut short three of Couture's last four seasons, but when on the ice, he has been an effective offensive weapon. If San Jose is to remain in playoff contention, especially with Joe Thornton out, Couture will need to help lead the way.

Blake Wheeler, RW, WPG – Wheeler likely could be profiled weekly, but that just wouldn't be fair to others. His two assists Saturday give the Winnipeg captain 44 on the year to go along with 14 goals in 53 games. Wheeler's play so far this year coupled with the talent surrounding him could allow the 31-year old to tally a point per game for the first time in his career.

Brendan Gallagher, RW, MTL – Gallagher looked to be ascending rapidly after scoring 41 points in his second season in 2013-14 and 47 the following season. The Montreal winger was building on those two fine campaigns the next year, but was limited to 53 games by broken fingers and a groin ailment. Despite missing almost 30 games, Gallagher still notched 40 points. His production went into a tailspin last year, as he notched 29 points, partially impacted by the change from Michel Therrien back to Claude Julien. This season has been a mixed bag for Gallagher. He notched just four points over 17 games from early December to mid-January but has posted seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last eight contests for 30 in 53 games.

Cam Fowler, D, ANA – Fowler, the 12th overall pick in 2010, has been an offensive stalwart on the injury-plagued Anaheim blue line this year. A leg injury cost Fowler a month from late October to late November, but he still has posted 23 points in 46 games. A good portion of that output has come since the calendar flipped to 2018, as Fowler has provided nine assists since then, seven of which have come in the last five contests.

Torey Krug, D, BOS – Krug continued his current hot streak Saturday, notching a goal and an assist against the Maple Leafs. Those two points give the diminutive defenseman nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his last eight games after he put up just two in his previous nine. Charlie McAvoy has joined Krug as an offensive threat on the blue line, but that has done little to hurt Krug's production. His recent roll now has Krug at 31 points in 51 games after notching 51 last year.

Darcy Kuemper, G, LA – In Kuemper's case, his value increased due to Jonathan Quick's lower-body injury, which afforded him additional playing time. Kuemper had been mildly successful in Minnesota but regressed last year. The move to LA has rejuvenated his career, as he is 8-1-3 with a 1.76 GAA and .943 save percentage in 15 appearances.

Kari Lehtonen, G, DAL – Lehtonen was a starter who rightfully lost his job after the Stars signed Ben Bishop, which was necessitated by the struggle of Lehtonen and Antti Niemi. Lehtonen has been solid of late, going 7-2-0 in his last nine starts with a .934 save percentage in that stretch.

Others include Anze Kopitar, William Karlsson, Ryan Spooner, Sean Couturier, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Seguin, Sean Monahan, Ryan Johansen, William Nylander, Nikita Kucherov, Brock Boeser, Jonathan Marchessault, Rickard Rakell, Patrick Kane, Reilly Smith, Jamie Benn, Mikko Rantanen, Dustin Brown, Gabriel Landeskog, Viktor Arvidsson, Kevin Labanc, Alexander Radulov, Kyle Palmieri, Keith Yandle, Jeff Petry, Brent Burns, P.K. Subban, Ryan McDonagh, John Carlson, John Klingberg, T.J. Brodie, Carter Hutton, Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask, Devan Dubnyk, Connor Hellebuyck and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Training Room (Injuries)

Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL – MacKinnon left Tuesday's game with a shoulder injury and will be sidelined 2-4 weeks. Colorado has been one of the bigger surprises in the league this year, and MacKinnon has been a big reason for that upswing. The Avalanche's top center has notched 24 goals and 37 assists with 18 of those points coming on the power play through 48 games this season. He was especially hot before getting sidelined, racking up 21 points in his previous 13 outings along with 51 shots, a plus-12 rating and 11 hits.

Others include Pavel Buchnevich (suffered concussion Thursday on hit to head by Jake Gardiner, indefinite) Conor Sheary (lower body, placed on injured reserve Saturday), Jimmy Vesey (upper-body, likely a concussion, suffered Saturday on hit by Filip Forsberg, indefinite), Bobby Ryan (hand injury, missed last several games), Shea Weber (foot, shed his walking boot, but has yet to resume skating), Marc Staal (upper-body, likely a concussion on hit by Alexei Emelin, suffered Saturday, indefinite), Charlie McAvoy (heart ablation, returned to action Saturday), Corey Crawford (concussion, worked out on ice this week) and John Gibson (leg injury, missed second straight game Saturday).

Fourth Liners/Press Boxers (Fallers)

Travis Zajac, C, NJD – Zajac snapped a nine-game point drought with two goals and an assist Saturday. It's wonderful that Zajac scored, but it's been a rough year.. Zajac now has 10 points in 34 games, but he has been held off the scoresheet 28 times. Look elsewhere for production.

Boone Jenner, LW, CLM – Remember when Jenner notched 49 points in 2015-16? Since then, he's produced just 47 points in the past year-and-a-half. The depth in Columbus has moved Jenner down to the fourth line, resulting in his drop in production, but that demotion came about due to Jenner's struggles.

Brandon Montour, D, ANA – Montour has taken a major step forward this season, but his production has dried up a bit lately. The second-year NHLer has posted six goals, 15 assists and a plus-21 rating while averaging 19-plus minutes of ice time. But, he has notched just two assists in his past 15 games. Montour's star is very bright in this league, though his drop in his recent output should have you looking for other options at the position.

Jimmy Howard, G, DET – Howard allowed at least three goals in each of his last four games leading up to the All-Star break and suffered losses in all four. Those struggles earned the Red Wings netminder a spot on the bench for all three of Detroit's game after the break. With the team looking to the future, Howard's spot is likely to be opening the door on the bench more often than not. With one year left on the six-year, $31.8 million extension Howard signed in April of 2013, he could be a buyout candidate.
 
Others include Kevin Hayes, Marcus Kruger, Derek Stepan, Alex Burrows, Marian Gaborik, Colin Wilson, Jakub Vrana, Mike Green, Sami Vatanen, Nikita Zadorov, Mike Smith, Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundqvist.